Meet the children affected by the special education enrollment target

Roanin Walker

Heidi and Trevor Walker of Kingwood tried to get special education for their son Roanin when he entered kindergarten, but they only grew more and more frustrated by the response from school officials. Finally, after two years, they decided to pull him out of school altogether. Roanin has a difficult time with crowds and commotion, but he's just a normal kid at home, his parents say.

Heidi Walker talks about her son, Roanin

Lilly Barrera

Lilly Barrera, who is now 12, has a learning disability in reading. But she’s never been offered special education services. Instead, in her Central Texas school, she was given accommodations such as preferential seating, leniency in grading and “verbal praise for accomplishments.

Tianny Jenkins

Tianny Jenkins, who is 10 and lives in southeast Houston, had to repeat second grade and third grade because of problems in school. Her mother’s request to have her evaluated for special education was ignored for more than two years.

Louretta Lopez

Louretta Lopez, 16, has ADD and anxiety problems, especially with test-taking. She also has a condition that makes it difficult for her to process visual information.After she was unable to get special education, her mother decided to try homeschooling.

Click below to see what it's like in Louretta's life.

Natalie Rivera

Natalie Rivera, now 15, has battled a number of medical problems and mental health issues but her parents, who do not speak English, were unable to get her special education services.

Click below to see what it's like in Natalie's life.

Joseph Espinoza

Joseph Espinoza, 17, has been diagnosed with autism, depression, anxiety disorder and attention deficit disorder, among other things. For years, he received counseling, tutoring and other support from the College Station ISD. But in 2015, his improved grades became evidence for school officials that he no longer qualified for special education. His grades then suffered without the support he had received, and his parents are worried about his mental health.

Marco Ruiz

Eleven-year-old Marco Ruiz used to receive special education services from the Alice ISD, but he was dropped from the program as school officials tried to meet the state’s benchmark. His father, Willie, is trying to get the district – which he works for – to start providing services for Marco again.

Willie Ruiz talks about his son, Marco

Steven Smith

Steven Smith, 11, was born with autism and without functional hands, which were corrected by more than 10 surgeries. When he and his family lived in Illinois, he received special education services. But in Texas, the Austin school district decided that he didn’t “have any need for special ed.” Without help, he struggled, his parents say, and grew to hate school. Ultimately, they pulled him out.

Anna Smith talks about her son, Steven

Michael Crighton

In preschool in Pearland ISD, Michael Crighton was in an autism program and received occupational and speech therapy. But when he started kindergarten, he had been “cured of autism,” his parents were told by school officials. Michael, now 12, spent three years without special education services, and that has left him “extremely behind,” his parents say.

Alston Jeffus

Alston Jeffus, 16, twice tried to kill himself and ended up hospitalized for five months. Despite being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD, Frankston ISD was reluctant to evaluate him for special education.

Alexia Stamatis

Alexia Stamatis, 13, has been diagnosed with autism, epilepsy and hypotonia, a muscle disorder. But when her mother asked Houston Independent School District to evaluate her for special education, a teacher told her there was a “waiting list.”

Jaivyn Mauldin

Jaivyn Mauldin, 10, was diagnosed him with ADHD, developmental coordination disorder and a specific learning disability in writing by a private neuropsychologist, but school officials were unwilling to give him more than a 504 plan.

Click below to see what it's like in Jaivyn's life.

Katelyn Miller

Katelyn Miller, 16, battles depression and bipolar disorder. Miller has fallen behind in school after missing school because of the time she has been admitted to a hospital to treat her mental illness.

Jade Blouin

Jade Blouin,16, has been diagnosed with Aspberger Syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety. Her parents moved to Pennsylvania to try to get specialized education services for her.

Tra'Vris Williams

Tra'Vris Williams, 14, has failed the first grade and the sixth grade. He has been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and bi-polar disorder. The first time his mother tried to get his school to evaluate him, the school didn't evaluate him, instead suggested 504 accommodations.